The present invention relates to sewer baskets that are removably mounted within a vertical sewer opening at street level, commonly known as storm sewers and more precisely to the storm sewers having a variable cross-sectional interior surface or a grand cross-sectional interior dimension.
These sewer baskets are used to filter coarse material such as branches, leaves, gravel and the like so as to prevent clogging of the sewer network. The sewer baskets are removed and cleaned from time to time and make sewage more easy to filter at the filtration station to which the sewer network is connected. The baskets are usually supported within the vertical sewer pipe at about three feet below street level and are removably supported by devices that are difficult to install or which require modification of the surface of the sewer pipe. For instance angle irons can be permanently secured to the sewer surface by screws driven into the sewer wall or as described in U.S. Pat. No. 530,816 to Wright entitled xe2x80x9cManhole for sewersxe2x80x9d and dated Dec. 11, 1894, a metal sleeve has to be inserted into the manhole with an inturned rim at its lower end on which the frame of the sewer basket is releasably supported. Another example of a support system for a sewer basket is found in U.S. Pat. No. 122,209 dated Dec. 26, 1871 entitled xe2x80x9cImprovement in sewer traps and catch basinsxe2x80x9d to Ashman et al. In this patent the sewer wall is modified at the desired level to provide a ledge all around the sewer pipe on which the sewer basket releasably rests.
Furthermore, the manhole is sometimes smaller than the diameter of the pipe itself. In such circumstances, the basket cannot easily come out through the manhole while remaining in horizontal orientation while keeping the garbage material inside the same.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a sewer basket with its support that obviates the above-noted disadvantages.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a sewer basket with its support that can be releasably secured to the sewer wall at any adjustable level and without in any way modifying the structure of the sewer interior surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sewer basket with its support that can be shaped to fit sewers of various cross-sectional shapes.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sewer basket with its support of a simple, inexpensive and yet long-lasting construction.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a sewer basket with its support which can be easily fitted to the sewer wall at an adjustable level and using standard tools and within a minimum of time.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a sewer basket with its support that can be used for the storm sewers having a large cross-sectional interior dimension.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sewer basket with its support that can be used in vertical sewers having an opening of a small size relative to the cross-section of the sewer pipe.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided herein, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sewer filtering arrangement for preventing solids of a predetermined size from falling into a generally vertical sewer channel while allowing liquids to flow therein, the sewer channel defining a channel aperture leading into the sewer channel and a channel peripheral wall delimiting a peripheral surface of the sewer channel, the filtering arrangement being positionable at a predetermined level across the sewer channel, the filtering arrangement comprises:
at least two filtering components, each of the filtering components having at least one filtering aperture extending therethrough for allowing the liquids to flow therethrough while preventing through passage of the solids of a predetermined size, the filtering components being positionable in a filtering configuration wherein they lie in a generally adjacent relationship to each other to form a filtering structure extending at least partially across a portion of the sewer channel;
at least two supporting components, each of the supporting components allowing the flow of the liquids therethrough, the supporting components being positionable in a supporting configuration wherein they lie in a generally adjacent relationship to each other to form a supporting structure for supporting the filtering components in the filtering configuration;
an anchoring structure for anchoring the filtering arrangement to the peripheral wall, the anchoring structure including an anchoring section for anchoring the anchoring structure within the sewer channel at the predetermined level, the anchoring structure also including an abutting section for abuttingly supporting the supporting components in the supporting configuration.
Preferably, the anchoring structure defines an engagement surface for frictionally engaging the channel peripheral wall, the anchoring structure including a biasing component for selectively biasing the engagement surface in frictional engagement with the channel peripheral wall.
Preferably, the anchoring structure has a generally annular configuration defining an annulus outer surface and an annulus inner surface, the annulus outer surface being intended to frictionally contact the channel peripheral wall; the annulus inner surface being provided with at least one abutment tongue extending therefrom for abuttingly supporting the supporting components.
Typically, the anchoring structure includes at least two abutment tongues extending in a generally diametrically opposed relationship relative to each other from the annulus inner surface.
Preferably, the anchoring structure is formed out of a generally annular shaped supporting strip defining an interrupted generally annular configuration, the supporting strip supporting a pair of generally opposed strip ends, the strip ends being position in a generally facing relationship relative to each other, the supporting structure being provided with a size adjustment component for allowing customization of the size of the diameter of the interrupted annular configuration formed by the supporting strip, the size adjustment component forming the biasing component.
Preferably, the supporting strip is provided with a generally radially and inwardly projecting attachment tongue extending from each strip ends; the attachment tongues being mechanically coupled together by the size adjustment component to allow customization of the spacing between the attachment tongues.
Preferably, the size adjustment component is a threaded bolt and nut arrangement, the threaded bolt extending through corresponding apertures formed in both the attachment tongues.
Preferably, the abutment tongues define an abutment tongue radial spacing therebetween, the size adjustment component maintaining the abutment tongue radial spacing below a predetermined value so as to ensure that the abutment tongues provide sufficient support for supporting the supporting components in the supporting configuration.
Preferably, each of the supporting components includes a supporting component peripheral rim and a supporting component crossbar extending at least partially across the supporting component rim for at least partially supporting a corresponding filtering component, the supporting component rims being configured and sized for abuttingly resting on the abutting section of the anchoring structure.
Preferably, each of the supporting components has a generally hemi-disc configuration defining a rim arcuate segment extending integrally into a rim rectilinear segment, the rim rectilinear segment of each of the supporting components being positionable in an adjacent relationship relative to each other so that the supporting components together define a generally disc-shaped configuration.
Preferably, the supporting structure further includes a linking plate extending from one of the supporting components, the linking plate being configured and sized for abuttingly contacting the other one of the supporting components when the supporting components are in the supporting configuration for stabilizing the supporting structure formed by the supporting components.
Preferably, the filtering components are configured and sized so as to form a filtering structure extending within the sewer channel generally thereacross.
Preferably, at least one of the filtering components includes a filtering plate provided with a plurality of filtering apertures extend therethrough.
Preferably, the filtering plate is provided with a plate rim extending at least partially therefrom.
Preferably, at least two adjacent filtering plates are provided with corresponding plate rims and wherein the corresponding plate rims are positonable in abutting contact with each other.
Preferably, at least one of the filtering components is provided with a handle extending therefrom.
Preferably, the handle is provided with a length adjustment component for allowing adjustment of the length of the handle relative to the filtering component.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided in combination, a sewer channel with a sewer filtering arrangement for preventing solids of a predetermined size from falling into the sewer channel while allowing liquids to flow therein, the sewer channel having a generally vertical orientation and defining a channel aperture leading into the sewer channel and a channel peripheral wall delimiting a peripheral surface of the sewer channel, the filtering arrangement being positionable at a predetermined level across the sewer channel, the filtering arrangement comprises:
at least two filtering components, each of the filtering components having at least one filtering aperture extending therethrough for allowing the liquids to flow therethrough while preventing through passage of the solids of a predetermined size, the filtering components being positionable in a filtering configuration wherein they lie in a generally adjacent relationship to each other to form a filtering structure extending at least partially across a portion of the sewer channel;
at least two supporting components, each of the supporting components allowing the flow of the liquids therethrough, the supporting components being positionable in a supporting configuration wherein they lie in a generally adjacent relationship to each other to form a supporting structure for supporting the filtering components in the filtering configuration;
an anchoring structure for anchoring the filtering arrangement to the peripheral wall, the anchoring structure including an anchoring section for anchoring the anchoring structure within the sewer channel at the predetermined level, the anchoring structure also including an abutting section for abuttingly supporting the supporting components in the supporting configuration.
Preferably, the channel aperture is smaller than a cross-section of the sewer channel at the predetermined level, each of the filtering components, supporting components and anchoring structure is configured and sized for insertion through the channel aperture when in an unassembled configuration while allowing extension across the sewer channel when in an assembled configuration.
The present invention alternatively provides for a combination of a sewer basket with a basket support for retaining the sewer basket at a selected level within a generally vertical sewer channel, the sewer channel defining a channel inner surface and a sewer aperture leading thereinto, the sewer basket including at least two basket units individually positionable generally adjacent each other in a filtering configuration within the sewer channel for forming a filtering surface extending at least partially across the sewer channel at the selected level;
the basket support including an anchoring section for anchoring the basket support to the channel inner surface and a basket supporting section for allowing the basket units to be abuttingly rested on the basket support, the basket supporting section including an intermediate section, the intermediate section including at least two intermediate segments positionable adjacent each other for allowing the intermediate section to abuttingly support the basket segments in the filtering configuration, the basket supporting section also including an intermediate-anchoring section supporting structure for supporting the intermediate section in a predetermined relationship relative to the anchoring section; whereby when the anchoring section is attached to the channel inner surface the intermediate section is mountable on the intermediate-anchoring section and the basket units are mountable on the intermediate segments in the filtering configuration.